SHERIFF’S PATROL DOG IS WAR VETERAN

Rex’s past was secret until he was featured in book, ‘60 Minutes’

The pair primarily patrol unincorporated Escondido. Last month, they were tasked with tracking down a man suspected of beating up a woman.

Rex found the suspect hiding in the back of an apartment complex in San Marcos. The man fought Rex, hitting him in the face and trying to pry his jaws off his leg.

In the end, the man needed medical treatment. Rex did not.

Don’t mess with a SEAL dog.

“I’m not jumping out of airplanes; I’m not rappelling off the sides of buildings,” Chapman said. “But to Rex, this is still fun. This is still work.”

Rex will probably stay with the Sheriff’s Department for an additional four years. When Rex retires, Chapman hopes to return him to his former military handler to chase tennis balls and gophers instead of criminals.

Sometimes, Chapman said, he looks over at his partner and thinks of his history. “The whole team that he worked with, they all came home safely. I consider him a hero.”